The Long Road Home
by Cozymansam
Summary: Pony is going back to Tulsa after leaving fir college. Soda was shot in Vietnam and the gang had fallen apart. What brings them back together again? Kinda AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Just to wan you, I am being constantly told that I write OOC, so if that bugs you, my writing may not be for you. If you want to give me a chance, that would be great, but if not, better that than you don't a have a good time reading this because of the OOC writing. And, I make a lot of minor spelling and grammar mistakes that spell check doesn't pick up on, so you have been forewarned. Without further ado, here it is.**

Ponyboy Michael Curtis stared out of the car window silently. Steve Randle, Pony's brother Sodapop's best friend was driving, and glancing at Pony. I few years ago, Pony and Steve disliked each other to the point where it was near hatred. Steve thought Pony was a tag-along and a kid, and Pony didn't like him for that reason. Back then it seemed that Soda was the link between those two gang members; Soda would never allow Steve to be too mean to his younger brother, and Pony didn't want to be mean to his older brother's best friend. But now, Soda was gone. He was shot down in the Vietnam War, where he had been drafted a year prior. Pony had gathered his life savings and went to college in Windrixville where he got into a creative writing program.

Every weekend Pony would visit the old burned down church where Johnny had run through the fire with a smile on his face. There was still a heap of burnt wood there, like a memorial, and was treated as such. Technically, Johnny died at the hospital, but Pony thought he had died at the church, where he became a hero for the first, and last time. Where Johnny Cade had stepped up from being a poor dark puppy, and had joined on the wings of hero's. Pony could never remember if he believed in Heaven and Hell after that, but if there was anybody who deserved to go to Heaven it was Johnny. Somewhere, in the back of Pony's mind nagging at him, he knew that Johnny had killed a person. But wouldn't God understand that it wasn't his fault? Pony didn't know anything at that point.

While Pony was at college, Darry had been roofing houses still, working overtime still, even though he didn't have to any more, his mouth being the only one to feed. But Darry didn't want to face the reality. Life had always been easy for Darry. Yes, he worked hard, he lost faith sometimes, but he always had Pony and Soda to think about. They were always there for him, as much as he was there for them. But with Soda dead and Pony at college, he had no one to care for, no who needed him. But he would rather pretend otherwise than face the facts. Which was maybe why he always cooked extra food and could be seen walking around the lot late at night, as though looking for Pony or Soda.

Pony had never wanted to go back to Tulsa. There were too many memories, too many things holding him back there. In Windrixville he could try to start again, while having the churches a memorial of what Johnny did. And how Dally did. Pony could never decide how had died a hero and who had died a hoodlum that night years ago. People would leap to the conclusion that Johnny was the hero, and he was one of them, but people tended to overlook the fact that it had been Dally Johnny looked up to the most, it was Dally who had gotten Pony and Johnny to safety. It was Dally who saved Johnny from the church after the timber struck him. And it was Dally who crumpled under the street lights because he couldn't stand to live in a world without Johnny, the one person he had ever loved.

But though all this was holding Pony back from Tulsa, he had to go back to the city where he grew up. Darrel Shaynne Curtis Jr. had died, haven broken his neck falling off a roof. Pony had to go back for Darry. And for Soda, though his body lay buried far away, in an unmarked grave in Vietnam. Soda would want them to be together one last time. The gang had fallen apart, if you could even call the four surviving members a gang, each handling Johnny and Dally, then later Soda's death differently. Darry had worked to keep his mind off of it. Steve worked on cars, though he was never the same person after that. Two-Bit got drunk every night, and sometimes played poker with Steve, though he was a poor substitute for Soda. And Pony escaped to college.

But the gang had decided to get together one last time for Darry's funeral, also remembering the years back then when they were all together, when they were the gang. It was a long road home, but Pony had to be there. He couldn't escape any monger.

** I hope you liked it, but please tell me what you thought. I apologize for the ending, which was quite rushed. I'm not quite sure what happened to the story, it was entirely different than what I had planned. Please review. Thanks for your time! **

** ~Cozy**


	2. Flashbacks with Soda

First I would like to give a word of thanks to my lovely two reviewers. All their comments were very much appreciated. Just FYI, I changed Darry's age difference a little and when he became guardian of Soda and Pony. I actually think that's about it, so here we go!

Steve slammed the car door and Pony jumped, shaking his head groggily. Pony couldn't believe he had had slept amidst all of what was going on, but he had to face it, he had been exhausted. For the past week there had been exams at the college Pony went to, and everyone had to write a 30 page story for each of those exams, so Pony was pretty tired, between stressing and doing the actual work. For the next two weeks there would be no classes as the grades were calculated, so another person may have said it was good timing, but Pony didn't care. He would have left school even if he was in the middle of an exam when he got the call. There was a school phone, and Steve had called him from the phone in Darry's house. It was strange having Steve be the one the step up and think of all of these things, such as calling Pony. Maybe it was because they had both lost their best friends. Steve lost Soda, and Pony lost both Johnny and Soda, and now Darry. Whatever the cause for the newfound kindness in Darry, Pony was grateful.

"Pony." Steve said roughly, "You're home." Pony sat up and looked around. Steve had parked outside of Pony's old house, and stood on the steps waiting. Pony got out, banging his head on they way. He paused to curse at the door, before ascending up the steps. It was like walking into a movie for Ponyboy. It was as if he'd never walked up these steps before. Everything was surreal. But then, it seemed differently surreal, and Pony almost fooled himself into thinking that any moment Soda was going to come running out of the house and hug him, then Darry would come, in his olive pants and black t-shirt he liked so much, not saying anything, but standing in the doorway smiling. Then the gang would come and everything would feel complete.

"Pony!" Steve said sharply, jerking Pony back to attention. Of course Soda and Darry wouldn't come. They were dead. And half the other members of the gang were too. Now out of the original seven members of the gang, only three survived. Which was why Pony had to come back. They each had to see one another at least one more time before they went their separate ways and died. If Steve and Two-Bit ever left Tulsa. But Pony hadn't seen any of them since Soda's death almost three years ago. He was anxious to see Two-Bit, wondering how he had made out in all of this.

"Two-Bit?" Pony called.

"He isn't here kid." Steve said. "He'll be at his house. He was afraid you'd be mad if he stayed here." Pony looked at him strangely.

"Why would I be mad?" He asked, completely confused. Steve shrugged, as though it couldn't possibly matter.

"I don't know. I guess he thought it would be disrespectful or something." Pony looked around the house, examining everything. It looked the same, which my have been the cause for his delusions earlier. Same ratty carpet, same couch with the stuffing hanging out (although, it was said be most to be very comfortable).

"Can we go see Two-Bit?" Pony asked, wanting to escape the emptiness of the house. Steve nodded,

"Sure."

Pony stepped out of the car, but didn't want to be in any confined spaces, so instead of getting into the car, he began to walk along the side of the road, kicking rocks. This sparked a memory and Pony began to relive that day.

_It was chilly and damp, and a light fog had rolled in. Pony and Soda were walking to school, kicking rocks as they went. Pony was nine and a half, and Soda was almost twelve. Neither wanted to go to school that particular day, as there were big tests, even for kids as young as themselves. _

_ "Wanna cut?" Soda asked Pony, looking at him out of the corner of his eye. Pony hesitated. _

_ "I don't know…" He said uncertainly. "Won't Darry be mad?" Even at the young age of 16, Darry was the legal guardian of both his younger brothers after their parents had died in a car crash the year before. Soda shrugged._

_ "Who cares? It's not like he's going to do anything." Pony was still a little unsure, but he really didn't want to take those tests and if Soda said Darry wouldn't be mad, then it had to be true. _

_ "What're we gonna do?" Pony asked, looking up at his older brother. Soda considered this for a moment, before coming up with the solution. _

_ "Let's go to the DX and get a Coke." He suggested. Pony wrinkled his nose. _

_ "Pepsi!" Pony argued. Soda only laughed and ruffled his reddish-brown hair. _

_ Soda loved to go the old gas station. It was fairly close to the house, and was a fun hangout Soda had always been obsessed with cars, and loved to watch the mechanics work on them. Soda promised himself that one day he would get himself a car. And he would fix it all by himself. Soda could also imagine himself working for the gas station. People would all love his work and he would get rich and have a girlfriend that was beautiful. Such were the dreams of a 12-year-old. _

_ They got to the gas station and walked inside. The warn air was a lovely contrast to the coolness of the autumn day. The person looking after the counter couldn't have been more than 17 or so, but to Pony and Soda, this was old. The guy looked at them for a moment inquisitively, but then decided it wasn't worth his while and went back to reading the comic book he had._

_ Pony went over and selected a Pepsi and Soda got a grape soda. They paid, and left, sipping their drinks. Pony wanted to go back to school so he wouldn't miss gym, and Soda agreed that the testing would probably be over. They had to pass their house in order to go the quickest root to the school, but neither boy was worried. Both were assured that Darry would be at work. _

_ So obviously they were quite shocked when they saw Darry on the steps to the house, looking angry with his hands folded across his chest. Pony and Soda looked at each other briefly before nervously stepping toward their older brother. Soda wasn't all that scared, more annoyed he'd gotten caught, but Pony was terrified. His breath came out in short spurts and it was all he could do not to faint. _

_ "Hi Darry." Soda said. Darry just glared at them both. _

_ "Get inside, both of you." He barked. Pony hastily complied, as though he thought obeying Darry now would make up for the earlier infraction. (Which obviously it didn't.)_

_ "What were you two thinking!" Darry shouted as soon as they were all inside. "Do you have any idea how worried I was when I got the phone call saying you hadn't shown up for school today?" Pony hung his head. _

_ "I'm sorry." He said sincerely. _

"Pony!" Steve shook him trying to get him out of his trance. Pony jumped to attention.

"Sorry." He muttered, continuing walking.

So how was sit? Again, not sure why all that happened, honestly I don't have a plan, I just wrote what felt right. If any of you have and ideas, they would be appreciated. Please review! Thank you!

~ Cozy


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